Wringer reset



Dec. 24, 1941). N. L.. ET'TEN 2,225,611

WRINGER RESET Filed Jan. 27, 1938 7 Sheets-Sheet l 24, 1940- n N. L. ETTEN 2,225,611

Y wRNGER RESET` Filed Jan. 27, 1958 7 sheets-sheet 2 y@ /ff /4/5 /f j ffl j@ /ff Aff 24, 1940. `N1.. ETTEN 2,225,611

WRINGER RESET Filed Jan. 27, 1958 7 Sheets-Sheet I5 /57 ffl /i Z /f Dec. 24, 1940. N. L ETTEN 2,225,611

` WRINGER RESET l Filed dan. 27, `1938 7 sheets-sheet 4 f5? Af 5 /f fil/5f 65 /ff /Iff N. L. ETTEN WRINGER RESET 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 27, 1938 Dec. 24;'1940. N. L ETTEN f wRINGER RESET Filed Jan. 27, 19:58

'7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Dec. 24, 1940.

y N. ETTEN WRINGER RESET Filed Jan. 27,` 1958 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 Patented D... 24, 1940 l I 2,225,611

'i WRINGER RESET Nicholas L. Etten, Waterloo, Iowa Application January 27, 1938, Serial No.'18i,16'1 i l 3 Claims; (Cl. 68'-263) This inventionrelates to wringer mechanism, Another important 4object of this invention is to and more particularly to a manual wringer release provide a wringer including a reset mechanism and reset device. 'i anda releasable reset handle capableof great In the conventional wringer constructiomapair leverage during the reset operation and subject 5 of cooperating wringer rollsis held in operative to no movement during the release operation. .5 engagement underrrelatively great spi-ing tension, Another object of the invention isjto provide and isprovided with a manual release control'and a wringr-having a release mechanism `both sensimechanism such that this pressure relationship tive and stable; being of such design that manual may be instantlyrelievedin the event ofany releasemay be accomplished with a minimum emergency. e 'y Y effort, but not subject to accidental release. 10

It is necessary; of coursefthat means be pro' Another 'object of 'the invention is to provide a vided whereby this spring tension may be rewringerd having amovable top housingorhood so established between the" rolls after 4such' release, mounted that any manual'movement thereof will and to this end most wringers are provided with a actuate the roll release mechanism,thereby elimimanual reset lever which serves to compress the nating the necessity of inconvenient and unsight- 15 wrnger spring and which maythen belatched in 1y release bars. i

`place until again releasedv by actuation "of 'the A further-object is to provide awringer mecha- "manual release' control.l nism `including independent resetting links at The arrangement of parts is usually such that each end of vthe rolls,.and means for simultane the resetting operation is accomplished by ously releasing and resetting these links. 20 manuallymoving the release lever from ts'inop- Another object is 'to provide a release mecherative to its operative position Aagainst the reanism forA Wrlnger rolls, 'the movement of. any sistance of the tensionspring, whilethe release is DarSthereO during ,the releasing Operation beaccomplished by unlatchingthis' lever and allowing limited vto a distance not greater than the Q ing it to y back toits inoperative or released `movement of thereleased roll.

position. i Another object is to'iprovide a wringer includ- It is a wellrecognized fact that this type of conlng a release mechanism of simple and rugged struction possessescertain serious disadvantages construction, not readily subject to damage by since the relatively great tension,of,thewr inger rust,`dirt,lor abuse; and of a nature convenient n 0 spring tends to throw the release lever outwaygdin use andveconomical in manufacture.

ly with such force and violence as to painfully iri- Other objects will appear hereinafter: jurethe operatorA or any other personaccidental- Referring now `more particularly to the drawly struck thereby. In powerfdriven wringers of ings: l the modernltype these disadvantages are becorri. Fig. 1f is a longitudinal section through a. 3 ing increasingly serious, since the heavy tension 'wringer constructed in accordance with the springs now in use and the public demand for a principles-lof this invention, the several parts bewririger that may be easily reset bythe `ordinary ing illustrated in their normal operating posihousewife, have resulted in the adoption of comtieni l 40 paratively long reset levers in order that a A1orig Fg- 2 iS e longitudine:l Seelienal View similare 40 arc of movement and consequently a high meto Fig. 1, the parts being illustrated in the normal chanicalA advantage Vmaybe obtained, and these e released Position; t e factors of course increase thelikelihood of injury Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional viewsimilar by increasing the amplitude of the sweep of the l0 FlgS- 1 and 2,but showing the parts in their 4f released parts. vextreme released position;` Y l r certain attempts have beenmade to overcome Fig. `4 is a longitudinal Sectional view 'taken these disadvantages by the provisionr of retaining SilbStentially along lille Gente! line 0f the Wringer; links or other auxiliary safety devices, but so far Fig- 5 S eSetailed'DeISDeCllYe View 0fl the reset as is known, none of these have been entirely latch: f satisfactory, f Fig. 6,is a detailed .perspective view of the 50 It is, the refore,'a primaryobject of this invenrelease latch;

tion to provide a wringer of such design and con- Fig. 7 is a plan sectional view taken substanstructionas to permit the instantaneous release tially 0n thelllene 0f the lm e 1--10f Fig. 4; of the roll pressure Without great or violent move- Fig. 8 is abottorn plan section taken on the line ment of any external parts.' l Y 8--8 of Fig. 3; 55

Fig. 9 is a detailed section through the top mechanism being taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 10 is a detailed perspective view of the release latch trigger;

Fig. 11 is a transverse section through the device and taken substantially on the line Ii-II of Fig. 3;

Fig. 12 is a detailed perspective view of one of the top supporting brackets;

Fig. 13 is a;v detail plan section taken on the line |3-.|3 of Fig. 3; 'A

Fig. 14 is a fragmental longitudinal sectional view showing the several parts in the position they assume during the resetting operation;

Fig. 15 is a view similar to Fig. 14, but showing the parts in the position they assume as the resetting operation is completed.

The wringer frame as illustrated in the present embodiment of this invention comprises a lower channel 2| to whichis secured a verticallyv extending outer end channel'22 and a somewhat similar vertically extending inner` end channel 23. These channel vmembers are preferably constructedofstamped metal and may be secured to each other in any ydesirable way, as for example, by means of the spot welding as indicated lat 24. A mounting bracket 25 ispreferably welded to the innerend channel 23 and is fastened to the power head 26 by means of the machine screws 21 in order that the entire wringer structure may be pivotally supported by the drive shaft housing 28 which `carries the power head 26. A manual control lever 29 is provided in Aorder to disengage or reverse the driving connections established within the power head125 in a manner well known in the art.

In order.v to facilitate feeding the clothes to the wringer mechanismto be hereinafter described,

it' is desirable to provide drain boards 3| and 32 which are' customarily provided with end flanges k33 and. which are supported from the wringer frame in any convenient manner, as for example, by-means of thedrain board brackets 34 and 35. An end vcasting 36 is secured to a reenforcing plate 31.welded to the outer end channel 22 in order to house the kworking parts and to improve vthe appearancecf the wringer, and it is also desirableftoprovidea sheet metal casing` 38 which l encloses the power head 26 and ,serves to conceal the mounting bracket 25 and screws 21.

In the normal operation of the machine the uppergor driven wringer roll 4| rotates about a stationary axis while the lower or idle wringer roll 42 is somountedas to permit a certain degree of vertical movement in accordance with the thicknesses of articles beingv passed between the rolls. To this end the lower roll 42 is mounted on bearing blocks 43 and 44 which are verticallyslidable within the outer end channel 22 and the inner end channel 23, respectively. A pair of flanges 45 serve to retain the bearing member 43 within the outer end channel 22and a somewhat similar pair of flanges 46 retain the bearing member 44 within thevinner end channel 23. A tensionspring 41 is carried by means of a bracket 48 secured at approximately the mid-point of the lower frame channel .2| and a. tension adjusting screw 49 is provided in order vthat the effective tension of the spring V41 may be varied in ac-v cordance with the requirements of the work. The bracket 48 lmay be secured tothe channel member 2| in any desirable way, but it has been found convenient to provide rivets 5| in the side walls of the channel 2| and to provide the bracket 48 with a plurality of notches 52 in 'such a manner that the bracket 48 may be supported by the rivets 5I.

At each end of the spring 41 a spacer 53 is provided in order that the spring 41 may be effective to urge the lower roll 42 upwardly. Each of the spacers 53 support one of the bearing blocks and each includes a pair of downwardly extending arms 54 joined by means of a cross pin 55 (see Fig. 11) which is carried by one of the ends of thetension spring 41. From the above it should be clear that the lower roll 42 will normally be urged upwardly into engagement with the outer roll 4| by means f the tension spring 41, but as varying thicknesses of material are passed between the rolls, either or both ends of the lower roll may move downwardly against the spring tension.

The upper wringer roll 4|, as hereinbefore stated, normally rotates upon a fixed axis, but in case of emergency it may be moved laterally by means of the release mechanism in order to relieve the spring tension effective vbetween the rolls. The release mechanism is also eifective to disengage they driving connection between the power head 28 and the rolls, and thus prevent further rotary movement.

At the inner end of the upper roll 4| the roll shaft6i is journaled in a bearing 62 secured to a bearing slide 63 by means of the rivets 64. The

bearing slide 63 includes a downwardly extending skirt portion 55 and a pair of side flanges 66 which preferably, do notextend greatly below the lower edge of thebearing 62. It will be seen from an examination of Figs. 4 and 13 that the bearing 62 and bearing slide 65 are vertically slidable within the inner end channel 23 and are retained against outward movement by means of the flanges 45 and against inward movement by means of spacer strips 51 and 68 which serve to divide the space within the channel and thus establish a slideway for therbearing slide 56 and Aalsoy provide space for accommodating the driving gears. A drivengear 8| is xedly mounted on the end ofthe wringer shaft 6| and is adapted to mesh with a driving gear 82 carried by the driving shaft 83 of the power head 26 and thus drive the upperroll 4|.

In order to retain the bearing 82 and bearing slide 63 against vertical movement during the normal operation of the machine' a pair of links 84,are pivotally mounted on the outer ends'of the rivet 85, and these links are secured at their lower ends to a pair of stud bolts 86 carried by a pair of links 81 pivotally mounted on the rivets 88 in the sidewalls of the inner end channel 23. Asub-top 92 -is provid'ed with a pair 'of downwardly extending arms 92 in order -that each of thev studs 86v may extend through one of the elongated slots 93 and thus be secured in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 4. By a comparison tending arms 9| of the sub-top 92. f

The outer end ofthe roll 4I is journaled in a bearing 94 secured to the bearing slide 95 by means of the rivets'96 said bearing slide 95 being vertically slidable. within the outer end channel 22 and being secured therein by means of the anges 45. At the upper endv of the bearing slide 95 a rivet 96 is provided upon which are pivoted a pair of links 81 corresponding to the pair of links 84 at the inner end of the machine. A pair of links 98 are pivotally mounted upon ear portions 99 of the outerend channel 22 bymeans of the rivets I I and each of the links 98 carries a stud |02 at its free end. These studs |02 correspond to the studs 86 at the inner end of the wringer and serve not only to pivotally connect the links 99 and the links 91 but also extend through the elongated slots |03r in the arm portions |04 of the sub-top 82 and thus pref vent any movement of the links 91 and 98 or oi' the bearing 94 as long as the sub-top 92 is latched in operating position. y

In the operation of the linkages thus described it should be noted that since the rivets 88 and |0| are stationary and that `since the rivets 85 and 96 are mounted upon the bearing slides and, therefore, are capable oi' vertical movement only, any upward force upon the bearing slides due to the action of the spring 41 will tendto cause the links to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in the drawings and to `move`from the position shown in Fig. 1 toward the position shown in Fig. 2. It the sub-top 82 is allowed to follow this movement freely, the bearing slides and the roll 4| may move upwardly; but if the sub-top 92 is latched or otherwise secured in the position shown in Fig. 1, the pairsof studs 86 and |02 will engage the'right hand end of the elongated slots |03, and since the vmotion of these studs is arrested, no vertical movement of the slides will be possible. Y

To accomplish this a latch bracket is `welded to the inner end channel 23 and is provided with a pivot 'pin ||2 upon which a reset latch ||3 may be mounted. This reset latch ||3 is preferably of U-shape construction, being provided with a pair of spaced apart side portions I|4 having perforatlons ||5 through which the pivot pin ||2 may extend, anda ilange ||6 which serves to contact the bracket and thus limit its clockwise pivotal movement. A wire coil spring serves to return the reset latch to its normal position after it has been pivoted in a counter-clockwise direction during the resetting operation.

A release latch |2| including arm portions |23 is pivotally mounted upon a pivot pin |22 lextending between the side walls of the sub-top member 92 and through perforations in each of the arms |23 of the release latch |2|. A spring |24 is coiled about the pivot pin |22 and tends to pivot this release latch |2| in a counter-clockwise direction. This movement is. limited, however, by means of an upwardly extending stop |25 formed integrally with the release latch |2| and adapted to bear against the end surface |26 of the sub-top' 92. When the machine is operating, clockwise pivotal movement of the latch |2| is also prevented by the contact of this stop |25 with the lnarrow face portion |28 of the retainer block |29 riveted to the lower surface of the release latch `trigger |3|. 'Ihis release latch trigger |3| is pivotally mounted upon a stud |32 carried by the sub-top member 92 and is operatively connected with a secondary release trigger |33 pivoted upon the stud |34 by means of a spring connection |35.

Each of the release triggers |3| and |33 includes a downwardly extending flange |36 having an elongated slot |31 therein adapted to support a pin |38 carrying the spring |35. This spring |35 is effective to urge the flat faces of each of the downwardly extending flanges |36 into engagement and to thus bring the release triggers |3| and |33 into alignment. However, the light force exerted by the spring |35 may be easily overcome and any appreciable lateral force exerted upon either of the release triggers |3| or |33 will result in a pivotal movement around the' stud |32 in such a manner that the narrow face |32 of the retaining block |29 will disengage thestop portions |25 of the latch |2| The result of this action will be that\the force exerted by the wringer spring 41 will `be transmitted through the rolls 4| and 42 and through `the various linkages and will tend to move the sub1-top 92 to the right as shown in the drawings with a sumcient degree of force to overcome the light wire coil spring |24. The latch member |2| will, therefore, pivot in a clockwise direction about the pivot pin |22 and will release the sub-top member 92 from engagement with the reset latch I3. 'It is obvious thatwhen this occurs the sub-top 92 isfree to movein any direction and will no longer act to hold the several linkages against pivotal movement. The result will be that the force of the main spring 41 will be transmittedthrough the rolls 4| and 42 to the several retaining links, which may now freely move from the operating position as shown in Fig. 1 to the normal released position as illustrated in Fig. 2, or, (in the event of there being any bulky object between the rolls) to the extreme released position shown in Fig. 3. kThe elongated slots |03 in the arms |04 of the subtop 92 prevent any possibility of a binding action if one bearing slide moves a greater distance than the other.

It is, of course, necessary that the release may be accomplished Vvery easily by the operator in the event of any emergency and for this reason the present device is provided with a construction suchthat the entire top housing `of the wringer mechanism is movable, and such that any movement of this top housing will result in the instantaneousrelease of the wringer rolls. By doing this it isY not only possible to provide the machine a greatly improved appearance, but it is also an important safety element, since in the event of any emergency it is unnecessary for the operator to strikeany control lever or release bar.

The machine top |4| includes downwardly extending side and end walls |42 which serve to house the internal mechanism, thus not only improving the appearance of the machine but protecting the release mechanism from dirt and water and therefore preventing damage due to rust' or corrosion. A -pair off top supporting brackets |43 and |44 are welded to the inner surfaces of the side walls |42 by means of the flanges |45 and are provided with turned edges |46 in order to space thev brackets |43 and |44 from the sub-top member 92 sufllciently to provide clearance for the free operation of the release tn'ggers |3| and |33. It will benoted that each of these release triggers |3| and '|33 carries an anchor stud |49 extending downwardly through an elon gated transverse slot |49 in the sub-top 92. A spacer and washer |52 are positioned between the shoulder portion |53 of the stud |48 and the lock nutI |54 in order that the stud |48 may be firmly lockedy to the release trigger |33 and yet'may be freely movable within the slot |49 in the sub-top Y92. 'hisconstruction allows the anchor studs |48 and the release triggers |3| and |33 to be freely movable within limits sunlcient to eiect therelease of the latch mechanism, but since the anchor studs |48 are locked within the slots |49 in the sub-top 92 any excessive force that mighty be exerted upon the top cannot damage the y relatively delicate release triggers, but will act upon theA sub-top 92.

Theheadportion|55 of each ofthe anchor studs |48 is adapted to extend upwardly through slots.|56 and |51 in the top supporting brackets 43 and |44, respectivelshin order that the top I4| be'supported on the two anchor studs. Each of the slots |56 and |51 includes an enlarged end portionv |58 of a size sufficient to clear the head portion |55 of the anchor studs |48 in order that the top assembly may be placed in position after the sub-top and latch release triggers have been assembled. A tension spring |6| extends between the bracket |43 and an ear |62 formed upon the sub-top 92 in order that the top member |4| will be urged to the right as viewed in-the drawings, in ordervto prevent any possibility of allowing the head portions |55 of the anchor studs |48 to accidentally be released from the slots |56. This construction permits the sub-top 92 to continue in its arcuate .movement asy gov- 25 erned by the pairs of links 81 and 98 even when the path of the top member, |4| is obstructed, as bythe ears ||l| carried by the vertical channel 22, as shown in Fig. 2.

In.- order to reset the mechanism and to provide an initial tension between the rolls 4| and 42, a resetting shaft l6| is journaled in the mounting bracket 25 and each end of this resetting shaft |6 lextends through an opening in the sheetmetal casing 38. A resetting handle |63 is secured at each end of the shaft |6| by means of pins |64 in order that the operatormay manually rotate the shaft. |6| and cause resetting cams l|65 aflixed to the shaft |6| to engage the sub-top member 92 and thus force the entire wringer mechanism into 40 its normal operati-ng position. yBy reference to Fig. 13 it will be seen` that the downwardly extending arms 9| of the sub-top member 92 include flanges |61 which lie in alignment with and in the path of movement of the resetting cams |65. When the rolls 4| and 42 have been released to their yextren'ie position', the linkages are prevented from moving byond the position shown in Fig. 3 by means of the stops or flanges |1| on the links 91 and the corresponding flanges |12 on the links 50 84. These flanges |1| and |12 come to bear against the links 98 and 81, respectively, in such a. mannery that they prevent the linkages from assuminga dead center position and, therefore, the force of gravity willA return the upper wringer 55 roll 4| and the entire top mechanism from the extreme position shown `in Fig. 3 into the normal released position as illustrated in Fig. 2 and in Fig. 14. y I

In order to establish a tension between the rolls, 50 however, it is necessary thatthe upper roll 4| and the entire top mechanism be moved downwardly against the force exerted by thevv lower roll 42. This is most easily accomplished by simultaneously forcing all of the releasing linkages 65 into position by properly movingthe sub-top member 92. The operator mayftherefore, rotate either ofthe reset handles |63 in such a manner as to move the reset shaft |6| in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in the drawings until the 70 reset cams |65 engage the flanges |61. (See Fig.

1,4.) By a further rotation through approximately 90 the reset cams |65 will be caused to bear against the flanges `|61 andk force the subtop` 92 from the normalV released position illus- 75 trated in Fig. 14 to the normal operating position illustrated in Fig. 15. This movement will cause the several studs 86 and |02 to be engaged by the ends of the elongated slots |03 and drawn arcuately downwardly. to return all of the release linkages totheir normal operating position.

vAs this movement takes place it will be understood that the release latch |2| will not be subject to pivotal movement in either direction since the stop member is lockedbetween the surface |26 of the `sub-top 92v and the narrow face |28 of the retaining block |29. However, as the hook portions l15of this release latch |2| engage the reset'latch ||3, thisreset latch ||34 maypivot about the pin l2 in a counter-clockwise direction as shown in Fig. 15. Asthe mechanism reaches the normal operating position the hook portions |15 of the,` release latch |2I will ride over the reset latch. ||3, whereupon the wire spring ||1 will act to snap the reset latch back into its normal position, thus locking the sub-top member 92 in place.

vSince the sub-top member 92 controls all of the several resetting linkages, each of these will be locked in operating position and the operator may, therefore, return the resetting handles |63 to their normal idle position, thusV releasing the resetting cams |65 from operative engagement with the flanges |61`carri'ed by the sub-top 92.

By this construction it is possible to obtain a great mechanical advantage effective between the reset levers |63 and themain tension spring 41 during the resetting operation and to. thereafter disengage these resetting levers during the normal operation in order that they will be subject to no movement at the time that the emergency release mechanism isactuated. This accomplishes an important object, `because as hereinbefore pointed out, it is necessary that the wringer be capable of being reset very easily and it is also important thatl there be no violent movement of any external wringer parts at the time of the release.

In this connection it might be pointed out that the extreme vertical. movement of any of the external parts is no greater than the actual movement of the roll 4|, which is necessary to accomplish the release, and that this movement of thetop housing is by no means violent or capable of causing injury to the operator.

lBy providing ,a top housing which is bodily movable and which includes downwardly extending flanges housing the release latch, the present structure not only accomplishes important advantages as far as appearance and safety are concerned, but also protects the release latch mechanism against dirt and rust and therefore insures easy operation, combined with suicient stability to prevent `any possibility of accidental release.

While I have shown and described what is at present a preferred form of this invention, it is subject to many variationsA and modifications without departing from the. invention spirit and I, therefore, do not wish to be limited except as by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 1. In a clothes wringer, -a frame, cooperative pressure rolls, resilient means urging said rolls relcasable latch means to retain said lever mechanism in pressure sustaining position, and a. top cover movably mounted on said sub frame coacting with the releasable latch means whereby horizontal movement of the cover will release the latch means and roll pressure.

2. In a clothes wringer, a `frame. cooperative pressure rolls, resilient means urging said rolls into cooperative engagement, link levers connecting the ends of the top roll with the frame, a sub frame link-mounted and connecting said link levers, a pressure reset handle operable to force said link levers into roll pressure position but otherwise separated and independent, releasable latch means to retain lever links in pressure sustaining position and a top cover mounted for universal movement on and over said sub frame, said cover co-acting with said releasable latch means whereby movement of the cover in a, horizontal direction will release the latch means and roll pressure. l

3. In a clothes wringer, a frame, cooperative pressure rolls, resilient means urging said rolls into cooperative engagement, link levers connecting the ends of the top roll with the frame, a sub frame linked to and connecting said link levers, means to retain extension of 'said links 

